World Cup fever, hot weather, barbecues and life.

Only 4 days to go until the World Cup finals begin. Most people here are quietly confident about England's chances. No one wants to shout from the rooftops that they think England are going to win but everyone is walking around with a feeling of quiet confidence. The only negative at the moment is the question mark hanging over Wayne Rooney's fitness, but that may be the one thing that has stopped being feeling arrogant about the chances of success. One thing I am sure about is that Peter Crouch will return as a hero. He seems to have suddenly captured the Country's affection in the last couple of weeks, mostly because of his appalling robotic dancing at the Beckham's party, but he scored a hat trick on Saturday and looks to be reaching a peak in his playing and scoring.

It's a funny thing for me, the bloke with a crazy mixed up identity, or the chap with a rich mix of cultures, depending on your viewpoint. I can feel English where football is concerned. I hang a St George's flag from my car. Well I'm on my third flag in as many weeks because the first 2 disintegrated after a short blast on a motorway. That's chinese quality for you, St George would be turning in his grave!

So for football I am English, yet I have been following the cricket and supporting Sri Lanka. It has always been the case for me. An ardent England supporter in football and an ardent Sri Lankan in cricket. Of course, if England ever played Sri Lanka in football, I wouldn't have a clue which way to turn. Which would be just like the Sri Lankan football team in the match, so I'd probably support them whilst knowing that they wouldn't stand a chance.

The weather here has transformed into summer over the weekend. It all helps with the world cup atmosphere. I spent most of the weekend huddled over a hot barbecue. Barbecuing is a strange concept, if the word "barbecuing" even exists. There is very probably an ancient law that prohibits women from cooking food on the barbecue. Most blokes don't mind the fact either. Barbies our are territory. Of course we don't marinade or flavour the food, or prepare the salads or accompaniments, but we can stand by the barbie with a drink to hand and cook the food to within a whisker of its life. Or burnt on the outside and red raw in the middle if you prefer it that way.

It takes many years of practice to do that.

Yes, summer is well and truly here. The test match continues today. I'll try to have an eye on it in between sporadic outbreaks of work. This hot weather always makes me pine for Sri Lanka. I don't know why, maybe when it is cold and grey and raining here SL seems much further away. Two things I know for sure are that hot weather puts everyone in a better mood.

And women wear less clothes. Sorted.